So, here's the deal. By acting like a bunch of ignorant, ill educated, intolerant peasants, the Muslim community, by its actions (vis-a-vis Asian Muslims Hold Biggest Rallies Yet - EarthLink - International News) is only proving to the rest of the world that it is dangerous and should be, at best, isolated. Of course, Islam has always had the problem of being militant in its evangelism (ie. convert or die: they have never been all that tolerant of any other religion.) Even though the prophet paid lip service to the two other religions of "the book" (Judaism and Christianity), in practice the sword has always been at the forefront of Islamic relations with the rest of the world.
It is sad that Islam has sunk to these levels. As the Roman Empire finished its disintegration and Europe sank into its Dark Ages, Islam was the repository of knowledge and scientific advancement. In those days, the leaders of Islam welcomed both Jews and Christians as co-religionists. It was not until the ignorant, ill educated Christian princes unleashed the Crusades against Islam that these negative feelings towards the west were born. I am not proud of the way Europeans waged war in the name of God against a people who basically worshipped the same God. However, that was then and this is now. The sins of the past do not make the sins of the present any less odious or wrong.
I don't want to give the impression that I give my fundamentalist co-religionists a pass on their similar sins, it's just that the Muslims have grabbed the spotlight for the moment. However, bigotry, intolerance and hate are not a Muslim monopoly. All one has to do is look at the KKK or White Ayran Nation to realize that the Islamic world is actually not much different than ours. The same problems exist in each for men and women of good will to grapple with. (Although it would be nice for Islam to shed the cultural relegation of women to second class citizens. It is the other aspect of Islam truly disturbs me. But, that is another rant...)
1 comment:
I find the entire subject of Islam and the West fascinating but I will keep my comments short.
The sharia law against display of images of the prophet was designed to prevent idolotry. In the instance here there is no way that these images could possibly be confused with efforts to idolize the prophet. What this event shows is how the process of idolotry has gone far beyond imagery. Muhammed has been deified in a way the would make Jesus blush. He has become the perfect man, untouchable.
If Muhammed ever existed (and there are some doubts) he was a first and foremost a secular leader. His efforts to unify the Arabs led to a series of conquests that, after his death almost made it to France. One ofter hears that his contemporaries admired his character, but examples from Arab writings (the Haddiths for example) point to a man who was a cunning politician. He would make agreements and then break them when convenient. His cruelty to minor sinners like alcoholics was legendary. He needs to be taken off his pedestal. Perhaps cartoons were not the best way, but its a start.
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